Book Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Title: Heartless

Author: Mariss Meyer

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Retelling, Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 453

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Year Published: 2016

Format: Audiobook

"Long before she was the terror of Wonderland the infamous Queen of Hearts she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

My Rating: 4/5

 At this time I have read the vast majority of this author's works.  I just don't think they are for me. I find that while they are ok, I just don't connect with the characters, or the writing style the way everyone else seems to. And that's ok. That being said, this was maybe my favourite book that I've read from here. I really enjoyed the adaptations she made to the world and how she humanizes someone who is viewed frequently as a villain. I often find myself drawn to prequels especially ones that are centred around what makes the villain in the main series and this was no different. The cast of characters was both unique and familiar, which made it easier to connect with them and feel for them. A negative aspect of the plot was the emphasis on weight. I understand that we're supposed to understand why the character might not get along with her mother but can we please have a relationship between mother and daughter that isn't look/weight centred? Overall, while a long story, it was enjoyable. I would strongly recommend the audiobook if it is available to you as the accents and voices used by the narrator helped suck me into the story.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Title: The Time Traveler's Wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction

Pages: 522

Publisher: Vintage Canada

Year Published: 2003

Format: Audiobook and Physical Copy (Own it)

First Line: "Clare: It's hard being left behind."

"When Henry meets Clare, he is twenty-eight and she is twenty. Henry has never met Clare before; Clare has known Henry since she was six. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. Henry and Clare's attempts to live normal lives are threatened by a force they can neither prevent nor control, making their passionate love story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable. The Time Traveler's Wife is a story of fate, hope and believe, and more than that, it's about the power of love to endure beyond the bounds of time."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I really enjoyed this movie in my teenage years. I loved it. I thought that it really showed starcrossed lovers and it broke my little heart. Now as an adult, after reading the book I see a lot of problems with this storyline. Especially in the book. The use of sex was horrible for me, I didn't think that it showed any female enjoyment, it appeared at random, and it was awkward and stilted. Not what you want from a romance book. There was also a ton of problematic stereotypes that are glossed over. I understand that this was written in 2003, but it was hard to read through all the same. That being said, the movie is still one that I enjoyed and the reason this got the rating it did was for nostalgia purposes. Overall, would not recommend. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Title: Her Dark Curiosity

Author: Megan Shepherd

Series/Standalone: The Madman's Daughter Series (Book #2)

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Romance

Pages: 422

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Year Published: 2014

Format: Audiobook

"To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island- and the secret she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau's horrific legacy- though someone, or something hasn't forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father's creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again. 

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer- Juliet will be lucky to escape alive. 

With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we'll go to save them from themselves."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This story wasn't what I expected it to be. I will say that there is no reason that you have to continue with the series. If you felt content after the ending of The Madman's Daughter and you don't want to continue you definitely don't have to. This one felt a little disjointed from the first. For me, that might be because of the change of scenery that we see and after reading the description I see that she was getting inspiration from another classic dark thriller, so that makes sense. I think if I can get my hands on the next book I will continue the series, but I don't think this is a series that I will purchase as an all-time favourite. I did really enjoy seeing some characters in a different setting and the exploration of different characters in London. I loved the dark themes and thrilling aspects. Some parts that weren't my favourite were romantic relationships. I loved that the author spoke about sex, and sexuality from a modern woman's perspective. I just didn't feel like the romantic relationships between characters just didn't feel genuine to me.

I would recommend this series to anyone who likes classic, dark thrillers and who are looking for reads inspired by those classics. The audiobooks are great as well and may be available through your library if you're looking for alternative reading options.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny